FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. — Johnson & Johnson is ending gross sales of its iconic talc-based Johnson’s Child Powder within the U.S. and Canada, the place demand has dwindled amid hundreds of lawsuits claiming it has prompted most cancers.
The world’s greatest maker of well being care merchandise mentioned Tuesday the talc-based powder will nonetheless be offered outdoors the U.S. and Canada.
“Demand for talc-based Johnson’s Child Powder in North America has been declining due largely to adjustments in shopper habits and fueled by misinformation across the security of the product and a relentless barrage of litigation promoting,” the corporate mentioned.
J&J faces about 19,400 circumstances alleging its talcum powder prompted customers to develop ovarian most cancers, by way of use for female hygiene, or mesothelioma, a most cancers that strikes the lungs and different organs.
Of the circumstances which have been tried, J&J has had 12 wins, 15 losses and 7 mistrials. The entire losses have both been overturned on attraction or are nonetheless being appealed.
The corporate insists, and the overwhelming majority of medical analysis on talc signifies, that the talc child powder is protected and doesn’t trigger most cancers.
“Whether or not or not the powder truly causes most cancers, individuals grew to become hesitant to make use of the product,” Erik Gordon, a professor on the College of Michigan’s enterprise college, mentioned in an e-mail.
J&J spokeswoman Kimberly Montagnino mentioned the corporate doesn’t plan to settle any of the lawsuits and “will proceed to vigorously defend” the product.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey, firm mentioned the child powder choice got here because it strikes to discontinue about 100 shopper well being merchandise. It mentioned its goal is to prioritize merchandise in excessive demand through the coronavirus outbreak and permit for social distancing in its manufacturing and distribution services.
J&J will nonetheless promote its less-popular cornstarch-based child powder in North America.